Marvel Studios confirmed that Peter Quill/Star-Lord will make future appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe following the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
MCU fans haven’t seen the last of Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, with the end credits of Volume 3 confirming that the beloved cosmic hero “will return” to the MCU in future projects. Pratt debuted as Peter Quill/Star-Lord in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy and reprised his role in the film’s 2017 sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017).
He also appeared alongside the rest of the Guardians in the films Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019) and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) and the Marvel Studios Special Presentation the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (also 2022).
Chris Pratt Is Willing to Return as Star-Lord
With Star-Lord’s return confirmed Guardians of the Galaxy fans will have to wait and see where the character appears next in the MCU. Marvel Studios have not announced a fourth Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
Ahead of the threequel’s release, Pratt stated that he would have no issues reprising the role so long as Marvel didn’t make his return feel like a cash grab.
“It would be strange to continue [Star Lord’s] story without James. He’s done such a masterful job in the first three films. We found the voice of Peter Quill together, and without him, I would never have had this opportunity. It’s his imagination on screen,” Pratt said. “So, to continue to tell the story, it would be important to honor what he’s done in the first three films and what the fans have grown to love about the character and not simply do it because people might show up to pay for it.”
Where can Star-Lord return next after Guardians of the Galaxy 3?
1. The Marvels
First up on the list of contenders comes this November’s The Marvels. The sequel to Captain Marvel has been touted as an Avengers-esque crossover and is rumored to have significant ties to The Kang Dynasty. This earns its place on this list primarily due to being a cosmic movie with sizable crossover potential.
Some evidence has already pointed toward Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie appearing, so perhaps Captain Marvel 2 is hiding more than meets the eye. Then again, with the female-focussed cast already crammed with heroes for the cosmic adventure, Star-Lord may feel somewhat out of place, making this one unlikely.
2. Avengers: The Kang Dynasty
Perhaps the chief contender for Star-Lord’s MCU return comes with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. After all, a Guardian of the Galaxy wouldn’t simply ignore the arrival of a massive threat on Earth. No, Peter Quill would immediately have his blasters back in hand and be off to join the Avengers on their Multiversal mission.
3. Nova
One project on the horizon that has yet to receive a formal announcement is Nova, which will introduce the intergalactic space cop to the MCU. Of course, the Nova Corps has already appeared in the franchise, with them playing a pivotal role in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
The planet Xandar, where the Nova Corps Headquarters was located, was destroyed by Thanos off-screen, as revealed in Avengers: Infinity War. So, the fate of Rhomann Dey and Nova Prime Irani Rael remains unclear.
In Marvel Comics, Rhomann Dey, as the Nova Corps’ last surviving Centurion, is the one to give New Yorker Richard Rider his powers. If the MCU project were also to venture to Earth, given Quill’s established connection to Dey and other members of the Nova Corps, he could sneak his way into a supporting role.
4. The Legendary Star-Lord
After the post-credits scene ended and the screen wiped, the final frame of Vol. Three read, “The Legendary Star-Lord will Return.” While this will likely come across several projects, one could be a solo outing for Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill, this time taking him away from the Guardians.
Quill’s solo debut came in the Legendary Star-Lord comic series, which saw him dealing with his family history while developing a relationship with the X-Men’s Kitty Pryde. In the MCU, there are endless opportunities for Star-Lord to go solo, either by returning to the stars alone or getting involved in terrestrial problems on Earth.
During Secret Wars, Star-Lord co-led a mini-series called Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde, which took place in Battleworld. With MCU expected to tell stories in Battleworld between Avengers movies, a similar tie-in could take place on Disney+, but likely pairing him with a different character.
5. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.4
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s mid-credits scene laid the groundwork for a whole new team of Guardians, led by Rocket, consisting of Groot, Kraglin, Phyla, Adam Warlock, and Cosmo. Meanwhile, the rest of the old team is still kicking about the galaxy, with Nebula and Drax leading Knowhere while Mantis forges her path.
Even though James Gunn is unlikely to resume directing duties, there seems to be a future for some Guardians. Whether that takes the form of a fourth movie or Disney+ series is still being determined, but perhaps Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill could still have a place in this puzzle, even with him now on Earth.
The Legendary Star-Lord could mentor the next unit of Guardians and take on a reduced role in the fourth movie. Then again, it’s tough to see Pratt’s presence not overshadowing the new leads and simply leaving many fans pining to see the old Guardians unit back in action.
About Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is an upcoming American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
The High Evolutionary, Rocket’s creator, emerges to reclaim his creation threatening to destroy the Guardians to get what he wants. Star-Lord must lead his team and protect one of their own while dealing with his emotional turmoil over Gamora. The stakes are even higher as Adam Warlock hunts the team on the orders of The Sovereign’s leader, Ayesha.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to hit theaters on May 5, 2023. Previous cast members will reprise their roles, including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, and Pom Klementieff. Will Poulter and Chukwudi Iwuji will join the cast as Adam Warlock and The High Evolutionary.
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